In the end of the race
by cleopatra1
Summary: The fourth and final segment of the new face series that was much in demand. As Lucky's and Emily's marriage hits a few road bumps, numerous things and people stand to break it up. Will either succeed? Other minor characters, but mainly luckily.
1. Chapter 1

In the end

Chapter 1

Emily frowned at her desk and again lost concentration. She was supposed to be working on editing her article that she had finished earlier, but felt an ever expressive migraine coming in.

Frowning again, she looked down to her fingers, glancing at first her diamond and sapphire engagement ring, next to the gold band that showed that she was wed. Usually, it made her happy to see them, but today, now, all she felt was eerie calm and indifference.

She knew she should go home, knowing fully well she would get nothing more done today, but felt she still had to try and at least look like she could. Her boss, also her mother in law, was flexible like that, especially with her, but she could feel the glares from the other workers.

She may have had a few personal references to get this job last month but her grades, her rank and grade point average spoke for itself on her resume. She had got this job with her hard work, more work than these other individuals had done probably, but still she got no respect.

Laura told her it would take some time to show her abilities and gain it, but still the glares and the ever walking around her was just getting annoying and obnoxious. Usually she didn't let it bother her, but lately she was extra irritable. She blamed it on the sickness she had recently got over.

"Emily, have you finished writing your article yet?" Laura walked into her small space freely.

"Yeah, I have, I'm just trying to edit it." Emily responded, not exactly lying.

"That's why we have the editor." Laura reminded her, but Emily always felt she was obliged to finish it on her own, or at least as much as she can. Besides hating red marks which showed imperfection, but she also knew the editor hated her guts and would purposely put some of the bright marks just to annoy her and keep her.

"I know, but they are busy as it is." Emily said using that excuse again but Emily had a hard time caring that it was already old. It's not something Laura would understand.

"Emily, why don't you go home? It's obvious you are having trouble concentrating, besides just getting off sickness. You've been working so hard, especially since…" Laura stopped, pausing not sure what to say.

"Your son left town without telling me?" Emily replied, hard not to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Well, actually he did tell you." Laura insisted.

"Yeah, over a short message on the home phone telling that he would be gone for a couple days to set up 'some technical lines' in Texas. That's not the kind of information you tell ones wife over a stupid message. He obviously had time to come by and grab a few changes of clothes, but not to talk to me face to face." Emily equally insisted.

Laura opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out to speak for her son. It _was_ impersonal and insensitive to tell Emily, his wife like that. She closed it however and found her silence forgotten as Emily's phone rang.

She turned and left Emily to let her have some privacy, as much as possible anyway in this working space. It was cramped, at least twenty employees forced to work into crushed cubicles on one floor, always crowding the only two printers. Money, as everywhere, was tight though.

"Emily speaking," Emily said neutrally, half hoping that was her husband, but hoping otherwise because she had lots to say to him and none of it was sensitive to the working atmosphere.

She listened as the lady spoke, hoping to find that her virus had passed. She had gotten to the doctor the other day, wanting to see it gone and done, doing some blood work at the end. Results were supposed to be given days later, and here was that conversation she now regretted.

After taking down some information, Emily put the receiver back. Lovely, just lovely Emily thought. That was one thing she did not want to hear, yet at least. Talk about your bad timing.

Patience, emotional control, and indifference gone, the phone rang again. "Who are you and what do you want?" She demanded in the receiver, skipping the politeness.

"Bad timing?" the familiar voice on the other end asked her. That was the understatement of the century she found.

"You know you have real guts to dare call you son of a motherless goat." Emily told her husband.

"Nice insult, where did you get it?" Lucky asked in his hotel room across the country. He was however expecting this anger but still wasn't prepared for it.

"As usual, when Spencer's are in trouble they make jokes." Emily looked around his game. He had done it before and before and had never got away with it, but he kept on trying anyway.

"I'm sorry alright? It just came up and Jax couldn't take no for an answer, besides he needed someone he trusted." Lucky insisted desperately. He hated it when Emily was mad at him, but always did something to make her that way.

"Yeah, and I'm sure he couldn't hold a flight for thirty minutes so this trusted employee could come tell his wife that he was going away for a couple days." Emily guessed.

Lucky fought the excuse that he couldn't get a hold of her, but Emily and his mother for that matter could see through that. "It was a stupid mistake." Lucky admitted regrettably. Sometimes you just had to go straight for the blame.

"Yes, it was a stupid mistake, and you were stupid for doing it and you also know what else is stupid? Phones, their messages, the caller ID and the jerks that call on them," Emily said, knowing this was as nice she was going to get.

"So why are you on one then?" Lucky asked confused.

"Good question," Emily agreed as she slammed the phone down and hung up on him.

A/n: Okay, its short and the title are pending, but it's a start of the fourth and final series of the new face series. Hope I gave you enough of an impression of the story to get you interested. Reviews and feedback always welcome but not expected.


	2. Chapter 2

In the end

Chapter 2

"Emily…." Lucky stopped, pausing permanently as he heard the dial tone. He never realized until now how much Emily liked having the last word and expressing her temper in very unpredictable ways, such as a hang up.

How he would make up this one he had to figure out. Flowers rarely worked with Emily, she didn't eat sugar too much so candy was out of the question, and notes would only go so far as he had seen.

Still, he needed to figure out how fast, he was returning tomorrow morning. He had called her to tell her that, but that conversation didn't even get a head start. Laying down on the hotel bed and placing his pillow over his head like a five year old, he sighed.

He felt like he hadn't slept in days, well deeply anyway. For the last two years he had slept next to Emily next him, holding her close most of those nights, especially those winter ones. The hotel bed felt like a cold bed of rocks however because of that rapid change and as a result lack of sleep.

He was just thinking if that would touch Emily so he could get out of some trouble when his door sounded a loud knock. Jax, he learned, who had just arrived earlier today, after getting an okay from _his_ wife, and as a joke his set of silent twins, also his godchildren.

"Come in," Lucky called reluctantly, mentally reminding himself to take a few days off when things settled down.

Lucky heard the door lock open as did the door, the shuffling of feet coming towards him. "You do realize you can cut off your air supply by that or is just the punishment for ticking off your wife?" Jax asked from above the bed, in his distinctive Australian accent that he used to like but now found annoying.

In response Lucky grabbed the pillow and threw it in his boss's face, resorting again to the actions of a five year old. And here he thought he had grown up….

"You know it's unwise to throw stuff at your boss who is paying you." Jax commented.

"I'll keep that in mind when I'm fighting for my house when I'm talking to my wife's divorce attorney." Lucky replied, all serious however.

"It can't be that bad." Jax insisted.

Lucky glared at Jax. "Has your wife ever hung up on you?" Jax's face held the answer-no. "I rest my case." He muttered.

"Maybe if you just talked to her, I mean face to face, you know got everything in the open." Jax suggested.

"I've been trying to but Emily's been sick which have made her emotions for once in her life go full blown and I just don't know how to handle her when she's like that." Lucky explained the situation.

That, however, made little sense in Jax's mind. Still, it was not his problems; he just felt a personal interest in his employee's marriage. "How about we figure it out over dinner?" He proposed.

"I doubt it will help any, but I guess a guy has to eat." Lucky agreed reluctantly and left the room and his troubles behind for the moment.

Emily had stayed later than she realized as she glanced over the clock. Even Laura had gone home, but only she and a few people who came in late in the day were left.

Ever since she had her "peace" against her husband, after he called and they talked, Emily had taken some aspirin and gone straight into her work, actually concentrating and focusing that time around.

Skipping lunch and practically dinner she finished and edited her other two articles due within the week. Usually getting ahead was a good thing too, but Emily felt no satisfaction into getting it all done that way.

Still, despite her feelings which magically appeared sometime today she packed up her laptop and grabbed her purse. Putting on her coat, she started on her walk home, which wasn't very far, maybe two or three blocks maximum.

She however, walked a little quicker today though the sun was falling but enough light present that would preserve a nice one. She just felt more alert, she reasoned, ever since she had got that phone call, it made her look at everything differently.

Also a small part of her felt she was being watched, ever since Lucky had left too, but no matter how much Emily listened and looked, she found nothing to even prove such a thing. She still kept herself fully aware nonetheless. It could be her nerves or even her mind for that matter.

Making it home safely, she locked the door soundly and closed the shades, turning on the lights. She almost felt an echo from her footsteps it was that empty. Glancing around, Emily sighed and sat on a wooden chair, wrapping her hands around herself.

Would it always be like this? That is an empty feeling of doom? Not feeling like food or analyzing she set the security alarm and shut and locked everything, going upstairs to the master bedroom.

A figure in the bushes below watched as a light shined through one of the rooms of the two story house, the master bedroom where the married couple slept. They could see little through the thick beige shades but to them it did not matter.

It would all be a matter of time before he'd have all he wanted and most of all he wanted _her_. But he fully knew now wasn't the time to strike, but he had been waiting four years for this and he could wait a few more days. Turning with a smirk, they waited until the light was out and the person in bed before slipping out of the bushes and onto the night street, only to return another day.

The next day, Emily rose early, showered and dressed, before coming down to find something light for breakfast. Settling for an apple, Emily sat down at the table and frowned at the front page, as usual she didn't get the front page.

Disgusted and sick to her stomach, Emily threw it a few feet away. One day she will be recognized for her hard work, not those ninnies who just walked and did minimal work. She had watched them, so she was sure of this. Still, that was the issue for another day.

Calling Laura real quick to see if she needed to come in, who said she was covered for today, Emily decided to set up that appointment she had been dreading where all the questions would be asked.

Dialing the number slowly, a nurse picked up. "General Hospital, how can we help you?" The woman was unusually chipper, but useful as Emily found out the specialized doctor she had to see had a sudden opening in an hour as a result of a cancellation.

Debating whether or not she was right for that kind of step just yet, she had barely recognized the signs as it was, Emily agreed to it and prepared for the worst case scenario.

Grabbing her purse she called a cab and took it to the hospital. Checking in, Emily sat to wait, nervous and second guessing her all the way. She was almost about to leave despite the fee when her name was called and she was guided to a room.

She sat as the nurse took her blood pressure, weight and height, before leaving and telling her to wait for the doctor to show. Grimacing as she studied the posters on the wall, Emily only checked out one that had poor graphics but touched her enough to glance down curiously.

When she left she was just as self conscious as she was coming in, maybe more so. Deciding against a cab, she walked home just to analyze and steady her nerves, when she was home she'd be tenser.

All she came up with on that walk though was that she needed to tell Lucky and came to the huge conclusion that things were about to change dramatically. That was more apparently clear as she walked into the driveway to see Lucky's truck parked and locked, her husband was home and while it was both a good and bad thing, it was bound to happen she knew, but then again reality was her enemy at the moment.

Unlocking the door, she entered the living room, only to stop and grab onto the top of the fireplace. It was cold and rough on her hands but until the dizzy spell passed, it was enough.

Lucky stopped at the middle of the stairs as he watched this scene, only to hurry down to help Emily sit. This was no welcome he was expecting but then again he also expected another screaming match. But that was out of the question as he saw what shape Emily was in.

Now he understood more how stupid for him to leave it was, Emily was pale and apparently getting dizzy spells. "Emily, are you alright?" He asked, worry overcoming his voice.

"No, but then again nothing in my life is alright at the moment." Emily replied bitterly, but didn't pull away from his embrace, feeling she needed it, but was somehow disappointed with how really impersonal it felt as if Lucky was unsure what to do, which she had no doubt.

"Well, that's why we have all day, so we can at least fix one thing in your life, our marriage problems hopefully, maybe me leaving like that." Lucky said encouragingly.

"Lucky, that's the least of our worries I think." Emily said quietly, not sure how to go on, but knew he needed an explanation she just couldn't say.

"You being sick you mean?" Lucky asked, but didn't think that such a big deal, it was only a little nausea, tiredness and dizzy spells. It's all expected out of the flu though this had been going on a little too long.

"I wish I was only sick." Emily pulled away, trying to think she can figure this all out in the next minute, but knew she couldn't. Her plan was now totally conflicted. This is why she liked the predictable and the familiar; she just couldn't handle this now.

"Em, sweetheart, you are scaring me here. What is happening?" Lucky now felt the strange twist of worry increasing on its peak. "You have to talk to me here if I can help any." He insisted desperately, feeling like a stranger in this relationship, an outsider, a third person lagging around for the ride.

"I don't know how to talk to you Lucky! Every time we have a conversation I get overly emotional and scare you away or I try explaining something only to end up like I'm talking gibberish and you having a blank look of confusion. Like now!" Emily wildly gestured to him but knew she had a point.

"Which I now know why you didn't want to say goodbye!" Emily threw her arms up in despair and confusion, as if it just clicked. "What a moment for me to learn that one." Emily remarked cynically.

"The main reason I didn't really say goodbye to your face was because I knew I'd miss you too much and I'd feel like not leaving. It'd just be too hard to see the disappointment on your face." Lucky explained.

"You shouldn't have left period Lucky! These last few days I felt like I have been losing my mind and I really needed you here to keep me here balanced, sane! And you weren't here when I needed you, which I'm starting to notice is a trend." Emily argued.

"Okay, I get the message, I'm sorry! But these rapid mood swings of yours are really hard to keep up with." Lucky yelled.

"You think I want these mood swings? You think I like being like this Lucky? And worst of all I can't control them! I'm the one only going for a ride here!" Emily shouted at Lucky.

"You know this isn't helping our marriage problems any." Lucky commented, at the most inopportune time.

"Yeah well, don't kill the messenger." Emily said as she turned to leave.

"Where do you think you are going? Better question, what is wrong with you?" Lucky screamed with impatience.

"You're the computer genius; figure it out because I certainly can't." Emily told him as she disappeared at the top of the stairs.

Lucky made a frustrated sound and sat back down on the couch, having stood up as the argument started. So much for no arguments when Emily was sick.

A/n: Okay, that is so not my best work, but this story is all new and I really have no real idea where to go, any suggestions? All those readers and especially those who reviewed, please be patient cause "work in progress" seems like an understatement.


	3. Chapter 3

In the end

Chapter 3

Lucky stayed in the living room for a few more minutes, not sure what to do. One he could go upstairs and they can finish their discussion though Emily was not in no shape to do so or he could let it go for a few more hours. The second one however didn't feel right, their problems had been like that for a while and now he knew how true the advice was when one said to deal with problems front hand and in the present so they don't grow bigger.

Walking upstairs, he went to their bedroom almost expecting the door to be locked, but found it otherwise open. Emily had obviously run out of all energy as she lay on top of the comforter, fast asleep.

Whatever what was wrong, it was taking a lot of energy from her, Lucky concluded. Shaking his head in confusion he entered and sat down next to her, the bed depressing under his weight. Taking the hair pieces that fell over her face and putting them with his wife's other locks, he noticed tear paths down her cheeks.

Frowning and wiping them away he glanced at her and studied Emily. Emily's hair had lightened some, but was not overly obvious, due to the sunlight and its Ultraviolet rays. Her complexion was paler, but not deathly pale as he had seen other times he'd rather not remember. Her form hadn't changed expect for her losing a few pounds but seemed to be putting them on again slowly. Other than that, she was just exhausted.

He stood up again only to pull back the covers and replace Emily within the sheets, her head lying on a pillow, only to join her and wrap his arms around her waist and pull her near, falling asleep almost immediately.

A few hours later, he woke up wide awake, a bad feeling filling his thoughts. Glancing down and smiling at Emily, he heard a creak. Having tried fixing that for two years now he knew what was happening. Someone was in their house, obviously trying to be as quiet as possible, a burglar.

At this hour it seemed crazy, but then again if he wanted to break in it would be when the owner was supposedly working and using the basement stairs that led to the first official floor. He had no gun or weapon on him or near, thinking it wasn't needed, that it was a safe neighborhood, now it was on his to do list.

Quickly analyzing the situation, Lucky knew he should go down and catch the person, but on the other hand, leave Emily in their bedroom, vulnerable, defenseless and fast asleep. Deciding rather quickly, he grabbed the phone and the room key he kept in the desk near the bed.

He called the police and left the bedroom with one last glance at Emily, checking she was safe, locking the door behind him. There was no way this burglar was getting in there unless he used the window, which was locked anyway.

He crept downstairs slowly, stopping at the middle of the stairs and seeing if it the intruder was anyway in the living room or dining room or any of the first floor rooms. There was nothing, so he crept down to the last step and turned into the hallway, only to have his worst fears confirmed.

The basement door was half open, but also knew that because it was only half way that the intruder was gone, went back down to the basement and left, obviously sensing trouble or the inhabitants. Lucky thought that would be obvious though with his truck parked outside, but sometimes these criminals weren't the smartest crayon in the box. Relieved but scared stiff, he returned back upstairs and unlocked the door and breathed as Emily was still there.

Walking over to her, he shook her this time; it took a second nudge to wake Emily up. "Em, come on you have to wake up." He urged her but tried not to make it sound too urgent. No need to scare her right away.

"Why, I don't have to go to work?" Emily asked for an explanation to this sudden waking, only to hear police sirens close. "Is there a fire or something?"

"No, I'll explain when we are downstairs, but I'm not leaving you alone right now." He insisted and Emily was still confused, but out of trust did as he asked. Getting out of bed she left the room with him only to find the police parked out front.

Confused she looked to Lucky, "Okay, why are the police here?" She asked another question, "What's going on here Lucky?" He didn't answer right away, but was finding the right words, "tell me." Emily demanded impatience, fear and curiosity taking over.

"I'm pretty sure someone broke in, or tried to but didn't get too far." Their basement didn't hold much more than storage but maybe some of the increased dust load caught a foot print as well. At least, he hoped so.

Emily paled, turning almost pure white. "What? Did you see them?" She asked and Lucky held her closer as the made it down the stairs.

"No, but the basement door was half open so it was at least an attempt." Lucky told her.

The next hour was a total blur to Emily, like she was a third party, a narrator in a story, just watching it all but it not connecting at all. Forensics and evidence was taken for analysis and all was left was the report.

"Did your security system go off?" The officer asked Lucky.

Lucky shook his head. "No it was all set but no alarm, nothing. I set it when I arrived home." He answered.

"Hmm…have you been home the last few days?" He thought before asking.

"No, I was on a trip, but my wife was here. Do you think whoever broke in found a break between the securities?" Lucky could have sworn it covered the whole house, overlooking the installation himself.

"This house has obviously been staked out and studied. For how long I'm not sure though." The officer agreed and motioned toward Emily. "Could you get her out of her shock and see if I can get a few questions in?"

"Yeah, no problem, what do you want to know?" Lucky asked.

"First of all see if she has seen anything suspicious around here recently." The officer requested.

Lucky nodded and sat near Emily. "Emily, Em? You there?" He asked knowing if he tried the standard question of "are you okay" or one of its similar phrases, that'd look pretty stupid.

"In the back of my mind I knew this would happen." Emily quietly said, confusing Lucky.

Tucking a strand of hair, behind her ear, "You knew what would happen, Em?" He questioned her softly.

"Doom, everything is fine for a time and then it comes, it always comes." Emily replied quietly, almost whispering.

"I think you lost me here Em. Have you seen something I don't know?" Lucky considered inserting a joke about the future and premonitions, but knew that now was not the time.

"Not seen, heard. The crumbling of leaves, walk of footsteps, but when I looked…nothing and no one was there." Emily explained, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort, lost again for the moment in terror.

"Does that answer your question?" Lucky looked to the officer who nodded his consent.

"We will search the grounds." He replied and left to follow this new lead.

Gathering Emily near, he wrapped his arms around him and laid his head on her head. No wonder why Emily needed him home, she knew in the back of her mind that someone was about but knew without solid proof or evidence she would look like a fool if she reported it. She needed him to protect her from what she couldn't prove.

With the numb Emily near, he made another quick decision. Nudging his head against Emily's, "Emily, Sonny, does he have an extra room available?" He asked. While time hadn't hurt their relationship, it wasn't sturdy nor never would be, but sometimes things like this were necessary.

"Yeah, it's considered a guest bedroom, why do you ask?" She looked up to him, more conscious in motion, shock having passed.

"Your going to be that guest, I'm not having you here while this investigation is going on and you are not returning until this person is found." He told her firmly, obviously not standing a disagreement.

Emily pulled away some, seeing he was serious but felt a slight tug on her stomach. Nodding she agreed, knowing it was necessary and also knew Lucky wasn't going with her. But that was not the huge issue of the moment; no it was time, time to tell the truth.

"Is this the time for secrets to be let out then?" Emily asked, knowing that only in most unpredictable situations Spencer's speak their thoughts.

"Yeah, why? Do you have something more to tell me?" He asked her, frowning.

Emily grinned and glanced down at her stomach secretly. "Yeah…I'm pregnant."

Author's note: Only I could switch situations like this, huh? But in all seriousness, this actually came from experience; my house was broken to and nothing was stolen or happened and the guy is in prison, but I will never again feel as secure as I did before it happened. Just be aware, that is all I'm trying to say. This is not something you want to experience.

Thanks for the reviews and feedback.


	4. Chapter 4

In the end of the race

Chapter 4

Emily sat on the porch and looked outside, hoping to see a familiar truck to stop by, but then again she had been secretly hoping for that for the last three days. Still, she stayed calm, having very recently got control of her emotions. Her hormones were a whole another story, but she would take what she could get at this point.

Patting her stomach and smiling as her little girl kicked in response, sensing her mother's needs. "You know daddy won't disappear too long, don't you? Being a father means the world to him. His wife, mommy, appears to be an exception though." She told her little unborn bundle of joy.

She still felt strange talking to the air, when she was aiming for the child she carried, but both mother and child seemed to be connected more than the physical. It knew things Emily didn't; things she denied and declined.

"I'm sure Lucky is dying to see you." Sonny told her from behind, over hearing the private conversation.

"Yes, dying so much I haven't had to go to the hospital to see him." Emily said sarcastically as Sonny sat down next to her. While their was no way "dad" was going to pop out of her mouth, they were at least civil, gone and buried the past, for the most part. Michael and Morgan were two annoying and obnoxious kids, but she still had a close bond there.

Sonny laughed at her comment. "He is catching that burglar, seeing that you and his little son safe." He insisted.

"One, I highly doubt that burglar is too chicken to try again, two never call her a him again." Emily advised him, then frowned at the once controlled temper came out again.

"Her? How do you know?" Sonny asked curiously.

"Mothers intuition, that's what mom said when I asked about her pregnancy with me. She said that to trust that and you can't go wrong. And so, this," Emily stopped as her daughter gave a rude awakening. "Darling but very annoying child is a girl."

"Kidney shot?" Sonny asked, as Morgan did it often with his mother during her pregnancy.

"Yes, and I swear if she doesn't stop with them she's going to have one very cranky mother." Emily informed Sonny as if she wasn't cranky enough.

"Usually children this early don't kick that much." Sonny commented.

"I know, but tell her that when she knows that her father doesn't want to see her mothers face, that I'm angry at her father and that her parents are going to be fighting for custody of her home soon if someone doesn't show his face." Emily replied bitterly.

"So you are saying that if that son in law of mine shows his face you'll be happy but willing to do bodily harm." Sonny concluded, guessing with Emily's emotions.

"As long as he is alive, yes," Emily agreed shortly.

Smiling, he noticed a dark vehicle approaching. Somehow he sensed it was an welcome but yet unwelcome guest. "Yes, well, I need to get the boys tucked into bed, so, night." He said shortly as Emily almost noted on his strange behavior as she saw what he did.

Glowering with pure hate and annoyance, Emily watched silently as he got out and walked slowly to her. "Is it safe to go any farther?" Lucky asked as he came a few feet closer.

"I don't know, do you dare test the limits? Is your child or even your wife worth anything these days?" Emily asked, supposedly, thinking though Lucky knew those answers right away.

Taking the rest of the steps he sat down next to her. "You know that answer Em, and so does our child. Would it be here if it was otherwise?" Lucky asked calmly, expecting a little more of her temper and anger though.

"It seems so impersonal, like a child is a thing not a person." Emily said as she winkled her nose in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, it just came out. How would you like me to address the baby?" Lucky said, trying to be more sensitive towards Emily's feelings.

"I don't know; use the baby, the child, our child, anything but it." Emily requested of him, laying her head on his shoulder. She was too tired to hurt him at the moment. She would scream and do the physical injuries later.

"Alright, is there any difference between him and her then?" Lucky asked, smelling her perfume freshly for the first time in days. He had missed her so much but was determined to make sure their home was safe before they could return. One thing Emily didn't need was to worry about whether or not she was safe, or the child for that matter.

"Well, that depends if you want to know what my maternal instincts are screaming." Emily murmured.

"Do tell it might help with the decorating." Lucky joked, but curious on the other hand.

"What shade of pink do you think then?" Emily smiled coyly at him from below.

And as much as Lucky loved the thought of a little girl just as much as a little boy, it was his turn for his nose to wrinkle. "How about yellow instead, pastel shades like Easter times?" He proposed.

"Did you think I would disagree there?" Emily laughed, as she didn't care for the color of pinktoo much anyway. Linking their hands, she asked. "But seriously, when is there going to be a home to go to?"

"Soon, I promise." Lucky told her, smiling at their linked hands and the gold bands they both had. "Something tells me the guy is going to try again and when he is caught, we can start arguing about wallpaper as we decorate our little girl's room."

"You do realize that I'm going to name her Paige right, no matter how many times you bring up the subject?" Emily asked him, determined about that.

"How about we make a deal then?" Lucky asked, knowing he would agree anyway. "You can name her Paige if I can pick the middle name." He compromised.

"All right, but under two conditions: one, you can't change a boy name into a feminine version, and two it has to flow evenly." Emily explained.

"Deal," Lucky agreed, regretting though that he had to leave. This felt so right. "But in order for us to talk more about this, our intruder has to be caught." He told her as he lifted her head from his shoulder, moving about reluctantly.

"You could stay you know, pay the mother of your child a little attention." Emily murmured, silently.

"Yes, well, this mother and child pair will get as much attention when they are not sleepy." Lucky reasoned as he stood up, bringing Emily up with him.

"Lucky, I'm pregnant, I'll always be sleepy." Emily reminded him.

Lucky took a second to ponder that. "Point taken, but still I've really got to go. Is Sonny taking you to work in the morning?" He asked her.

"I think so; it really depends on whether your daughter liked dinner and wants to digest it." Emily told him sarcastically.

Lucky laughed, remembering how his mom was with Lulu. The morning sickness was always a problem. "Ah, morning sickness," Lucky said.

"Don't remind me, I have another week to go as it is." Emily insisted and walked to the front door, away from Lucky.

"Hey, don't I get a goodbye kiss?" Lucky asked, stepping up one stair.

"No, you will not get much of anything from me until I'm not barred from my home, from my husband of all people." Emily announced stubbornly and went in the door, slamming the door as she went.

Author's note: No, I'm no doctor and no I don't ever want to get married much less have a child, so any knowledge of pregnancy and all is from romance books, TV and assumptions. Don't take what I'm writing about it as a grain of very important salt. I really have no idea what I'm talking about but I'm trying to make it sound realistic anyway. Review and feedback welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

In the end of the race

Chapter 5

On his lunch break Lucky went to his wife's work place and his mother's business. Stopping in to see if his mother was in her office, he got told that she was out checking the progress on the employees in the main work room. Somehow expecting her to be pecking at Emily he sent his direction to his wife.

Ever since they had gone to dinner two nights ago to announce Emily's pregnancy, she had been somewhat of a bother to Emily, or so he heard on the phone last night. Before she hung up on him again that was when he tried sticking up for his mother and her reasoning.

But now he was feeling the bother when she called him this morning and gave him the whole speech about "you can't ban your wife and unborn child from their home forever". Like Emily, he was beginning to dislike phones but on his side, he couldn't hang up on the person easily. He didn't want to be rude like that, even if it could be necessary at times. Emily had no issues about being rude, saying that if they weren't being rude and mean themselves they wouldn't have deserved that behavior. Strangely that logic made sense so he could hardly disagree.

Still, standing in the small man made halls he could hear his mother a few cubicles down, at no surprise Emily's as he saw the name plate. Crossing over between the cubicles he stood by his mother and caught the end of his mother's statement.

"…that saying an expectant mother shouldn't work her too hard." Laura said. Emily had her hands rubbing her temples no doubt trying to sit through the dribble his mother was saying. When she sensed his presence she gave him a cold glare screaming "this is your entire fault."

Chuckling, Lucky interrupted the conversation. "Mom, you do know you are delaying this is expectant mother's lunch hour, right?" He asked her.

Glancing at her watch, Laura exclaimed. "Oh dear, you are right. I didn't notice the time; go take your wife to a nice lunch." She insisted as she excused herself to look and obsess over another worker's work.

As Emily saved and locked her computer up so no one could get on, she said "Thank you very much for the save but don't think that will make you back on my good side." She was still holding much of a grudge against him for banning her against their home not that he expected less.

Chuckling again he escorted Emily out of the building and towards his car. "I know but once I tell you the news I have a feeling I'll be back there."

Turning around she looked at him, analyzing him. "It'd better be that I'm allowed home or I may just consider pressing charges at stalking." She threatened.

Knowing Emily wouldn't really do that, considering there was no proof but it was effective to say; he took her arm and opened the passenger door for her. Saying as he went "I'll tell you all about it when we get to the restaurant".

A few minutes later they were seated and gave their orders, Lucky explained.

"You mean he was actually stupid enough to try again?" Emily asked as she bit into her salad.

"Yeah, the police couldn't believe it either." Lucky chuckled now at the end of it all. "I can't believe it for that matter. It just escapes logic."

"The typical burglar would just try another house and not waste his time unless there is something special you wanted there. But I guess I just have to be happy I get to go home again but ban me from my house again and I will not be merciful." Emily warned him, holding up her fork.

"I won't do it again, promise." Lucky told her. He reached out and took her hand, "but really I was sorry I had to do it, but pregnancy makes you more vulnerable and we both want this child healthy and safe."

"Then do me a favor and tell your mother to back off. I know what she is trying to do but sometimes people try too much and no matter what you or your mother says I will keep working even when this child is born." Emily chastised him.

That had been an ongoing issue between them. The last two years of college and their marriage Emily had quit from Kelly's and get a tight schedule to finish a semester early, leaving the money problem all to Lucky. But if he knew Emily and he did, it wouldn't last too long, she liked her independence. However, they weren't expecting her to get pregnant this soon either.

"I'm not going to fight you on that Em, but we're going to have to work something out, like working from home. I can't exactly do my work from there." Lucky replied. Computer technicians needed to be at the problem, and giving instructions to people on the phone who didn't know half the part names was a migraine.

"Yet another reason for you to talk to your mother." Emily told him, she liked Lucky when he was being reasonable.

"Why can't you?" Lucky asked the last thing Emily needed was a small mini-war with her mother in law and their unborn daughter's grandmother.

"Have you tried getting a word in when she's giving you an unending speech?" Emily responded.

"Point taken," Lucky laughed, it was why he hated them even to this day. When he was a child he couldn't get away with blocking them out and neither could he do that now. It would be a painful day when he had one of those moments and said "I am acting like my mother".

Their meal arrived then and they stuck to the normal conversation between married couples. About each others day, though Emily's was short considering they both knew the overbearing mother in law story.

When it was Lucky's turn, he didn't know how to explain it. "It was…awkward. The day started off well enough, I was really busy but right before lunch was where Jax caught me catching a nap at my desk." Lucky revealed, explaining the embarrassment he suffered earlier and had yet to recover.

"And I bet you pushed it in his face that he does it and did it often when the twins were keeping him and Skye up all night when they were infants." Emily had heard the stories; a few times Skye had come to dinner with the young twins and Jax and later from Lucky. Especially when he caught Jax talking to himself in his sleep, writing everything down he understood. It turned out to be a huge joke in the office though Lucky got the evil look for days.

"Yeah, I did and then he teased me right back saying that between me and you our child was going to have some very good lungs." Lucky answered.

"Hey, I'd take screaming over kidney kicks." Emily replied.

"She's a bit restless I imagine." Lucky suggested.

"And I wonder where she gets that from." Emily commented, raising her brows in clarification.

"Guilty as charged." Lucky responded as they finished their meal.

In the PCPD station, Aaron Masters was busy staring at metal bars and wondering just what happened. One moment he was a struggling college student getting offered a job, and then next he knows he's getting arrested.

Outside, he could hear the officers discussing the situation. "We can hardly charge him for stealing; he didn't get the chance to steal anything." One officer offered.

"So all we have is breaking and entering?" A man in a suit asked, probably the district attorney or maybe just their assistant.

"Pretty much, Mrs. Spencer said something about being watched, we could even call it stalking but there's not much proof beyond Mrs. Spencer's word and we aren't sure that'd be enough." Another officer concluded.

"I'd hate to put Mrs.Spencer on the stand, with her pregnancy. Pregnant women should have as little stress as there can be." The lawyer added.

"So all we have is breaking and entering. Kid might even get away with a couple months time, but let's see what he has to say first." A new man, one they called Mac he saw summarized.

He watched as they came to his jail cell and glanced at him before taking out the keys and unlocking the doors. The two officers took waved him through to the interrogation room.

Taking a seat and this Mac person in front of him, he was offered some water or food. He declined, so he started the tape they usually recorded criminals with. He saw the crime shows, he wasn't stupid.

"Now Mr. Masters, let me cut to the point. Why did you break into a house on a respectable street?" Mac asked pointedly.

In the end he went with the truth. "I was told to see how hard it would be to get into the house undetected."

Mac's brows rose. He almost believed the kid but played along for the moment. "And who told you to do this?" He asked clearly.

"He never told me a name but he came to me a couple weeks ago and said that he wanted someone to break into his friend's house who wanted to get their security system tested. He said I wouldn't get into trouble for it." Aaron explained.

"How much did he pay you?" Mac asked him.

"A thousand dollars, half before and half after electronically and I thought that'd be it but next thing I know I get this phone call saying his friends wasn't satisfied with the first attempt, said to try again." He further added.

"Look Mr.Masters I really want to believe you but this so called number you gave us, its offline. So either you are lying or this guy you worked for requested it turned off and left town quickly." Mac gave him the facts.

"I swear I didn't know it was a set up, but I'm a college student, tuition isn't cheap these days. I needed the money, I didn't think. Can't you track down the bank account of the number that I got my last of the money from?" Aaron pleaded for once in his life. This would not look good for any jobs he could try to get.

Mac, having teenagers of his own knew the feeling but still he had to stick to facts. "We'll try but if that doesn't pan out, there is nothing much we can do. And telling us what he looked like wouldn't help either, it was likely he wasn't local. I've no doubt this guy would have to be pretty powerful to come up with a thousand like that but fact is there's no proof."

"But you believe me right?" Aaron at least wanted to know that much.

"Against my best judgment yes," Mac confessed. "We can hardly keep you though. Pay the bail but don't leave town. A trial will be scheduled." He advised the young man before leaving.

Meanwhile, a man stumbled across some yards and watched as the newly reconciled married couple had dinner in through the kitchen windows. It was set for two but he still felt a nerve tick as the man placed a third chair among them. So it was true, she was pregnant, with her husband's child.

And he had also messed up his chances to see the couple break apart. He had been in hiding previously, knowing that gullible screw up would give him up. The child would only bind them closer together. He had to think up another plan, had to find another way to get what he rightfully deserved.

Now seemed the perfect time to get away for now and regroup as the man swept up his wife into his arms despite the woman's protests. The man laughed all the way until they disappeared up the staircase.


End file.
